34 Comments

Nice work
Steve
2010-03-30 15:21:53

A lovely looking logo - friendly, technilogical, and distinctive. A definate inprovement from the old version. Illustrations on website look really nice too...
Dave
2010-03-30 15:29:02

Very nice. Love the ampersand link. My only issue is that if you take that logo smaller you're going to get moiré.
skii
2010-03-30 15:47:53

I can't help but think of a CR article from a couple of years ago... http://www.creativereview.co.uk/cr-blog/2008/september/an-ordinary-world
Ben
2010-03-30 15:50:35

have they merged with barclays?
Mark
2010-03-30 16:09:55

just dropped it in to photoshop, reduced size and voila, moiré overload. I wonder if this was considered?
skii
2010-03-30 16:59:20

Nice enough I suppose at a glance, but a bit of a well trodden path and F**K me the points where the two colours meet is shonky as all hell. I do like the illustration versions though.
tim Spencer
2010-03-30 17:10:32

I didn't even think this company still existed.
A
2010-03-30 20:58:58

I really like the work. Love how the logo links through to the illustrations. Feels very appropriate for their business. The animation really brings it to life.
jack
2010-03-30 21:17:46

I can't believe people are still doing these swirly spheres one and a half years after that Ordinary World article, as (another) Ben points out.
Ben
2010-03-30 23:04:17

Looks more like a brand for a dandruff shampoo, doesn't say "telecommunications" to me at all. The ampersand seems very forced.
Nathan Adams
2010-03-31 05:50:17

Looks more like a Public Health/SPA/Hair care product. Font and colours are too 'femine'.
J
2010-03-31 11:31:28

Good old symbolism.
Graphic Design Manchester
2010-03-31 16:20:04

Tough brief.... that old C&G logo is actually really really good and has a subtlety which it's newer version lacks
Andy
2010-03-31 17:07:12

The new globe has more of an idea to it now (ampersand), where as the old globe feels very dated. I like the fact that it suggests possibilities, communications and global. Really like the illustrations on the website. Doesn't feel like anything i've seen before. nice work.
Milton
2010-03-31 23:23:02

By creating two separate identities for the same name does this really create two separate brands?
Stephen Green
2010-04-01 13:27:08

this is all too convincing considering what day it is
Mike
2010-04-01 13:54:55

turns out this isn't an april fool? Who'da thunkit
Mike
2010-04-01 13:59:00

Ok, the debate about swirls and globes is definitely a valid one, but it's important to see this logo in the context of the business, which it summarises very well in my opinion. Really like how it's transferred to the identity, and I'm looking forward to seeing how it develops.
David
2010-04-01 14:05:39

It sadly looks forced. It's one of those quick fix identities they will change it in a few years or it's just to sell off the section they have de-merged.

I haven't seen the brief, so it's unfair.

New logo:
- It's more feminine
- Looks messy
- Out of control
- Looks like a hair dresser or hair product
- Typography is really unbalanced and is over bold and clumsy kerning
- The added graphics look like old 'National lottery' ads
- This identity is going to be a nightmare to use and when it gets small... Ugh!

Old logo:
- The old logo seemed to standout
- Classic look
- Typography not good / but it should have just been updated
- Simple and easy to use

This looks like a nightmare brief, but I think it's not the worse thing i have ever seen,
but when you design a logo which is worse than the one you started you must want to
hide for a while. I guess they have made some nice cash out of it and they hopefully
have some sort of kick back on the roll out items.

They need to do better...
Mr Odd Fellow
2010-04-01 14:25:36

I liked the old globe much more.
Guy
2010-04-01 14:39:26

I agree with Tim Spencer re logo. Absolutely beautiful brand extension with the (hand/flower) illustrations. Would like to see how it animates.
Mickey
2010-04-01 14:47:53

The logo is fine, appropriate maybe, but a tad too much like barclaycard for me. But the website is shocking. It's very slow, has a funny moving thing accross the middle that serves no purpose, and why don't companies say what they do on their home page these days?
Gary
2010-04-01 14:50:56

looks like cables and wires. i find the logo to dated in it's appeal and color scheme. but it is nice to look at.
ian shimkoviak
2010-04-01 16:07:35

Have not seen a worse solution in a while. I thought the result was how the logo used to look...Also the choice of colour makes it look more like a box of chocolate.
Nina Hagen
2010-04-01 16:37:04

In the context of telecoms visual branding work, worldwide-superb. Breathtaking craft value, and a softening of the graphic design language, typeface included, that sets this head and shoulders above and beyond. I sincerely wish that I has done this. One of those rare moments of true appreciation. Well dine Elmwood!
Dave Holland
2010-04-01 17:11:16

@ Dave Holland, 'Breathtaking craft value, and a softening of the graphic design language', are you joking, breath-taking in how bad the typography is you mean. I have seen many good things Elmwood have done, but this is the worst i have ever seen.

@ Stephen Green, 'By creating two separate identities for the same name does this really create two separate brands?'C&W Worldwide, and C&W Communications. The issue here rests with the board, they have really made a mess of this demerger. Even the city are saying that they can't see the difference. So if you take this corporate mess into account, then you can see the why they end up with a bit of fluff like this.

To conclude really the problem is that this is this emperor's new clothes, you can't blame Elmwood, who just want the money. But you must blame the board of C&W who have a confused communications strategy. This will not help the business, and it is the sign of the times when a company thinks it needs to change it's image t try and help the business issues. It doesn't work.
Mr Odd Fellow
2010-04-01 20:40:02

Yes its a globe, but probably more relevant to this company than most. The lines truly reflect what the company does (especially after reading about the heritage of the brand and what it has achieved). The clever thing for me is that it says 'cable' '&' 'wireless' as a mark. With the added bonus of it still paying diligence to the previous globe. The old globe really does look dated as a mark and doesn't reflect communications today. In truth though the old globe has become iconic to a degree but that's because it's been around for so long as much as anything. I don't see this new globe as a fleeting identity that will come and go but an icon full of symbolism that will stand the test of time. At least it has an idea behind it and something that the brand can begin to tell its story off, unlike many of the more decorative globes we see today. Good luck and well done for having the guts to create a brand and visual language that is so obviously linked to the company past, present and future.
M. W.
2010-04-01 22:06:34

"worldwide-superb"

There you have it people.

its "worldwide-superb"

(is the client watching this blog by any chance?)
orbit Lesser
2010-04-02 00:07:04

@Mr Odd Fellow
please define your 'bad' typography. If you still relate to visual branding in terms of the meaningless 'good', or ' bad', as is evident you do, then you quite clearly fail to grasp the value of change beyond your own personal experiences, preferneces, needs or wants, and how more appropriate questioning that understands context - both client and corporate - as well as Elmwood's in terms of time available or the money you so astutely pointed out ( I mean, we are in business here after all), gives us a platform or framework for understanding and appreciating the work achieved.
You speak in absolutes, and therein you commentary is meanignless. To me at least.
@M.W. I concur wholeheartedly

a globe, of wires, making an ampersand. Brilliant. Please excuse
my poor spelling before: well DONE Elmwood.
Dave Holland
2010-04-02 17:28:26

So its similar to the Barclays logo – so what? At least they have used a different linear approach. By contrast, the Barclays logo is closer to the Sony Ericsson logo which came before that.

Especially love home the curvilinear style of the logo's graphic element, is carried through into the illustrations for their info graphics. Superbly done.

The only thing that causes me some concern is the typeface used in the logo seems to make the logo look a little dated already. Something cleaner and more self-confident might have been a better option.
Jolt
2010-04-03 11:36:42

I always find It very funny when designers are quick to judge other designers work without an understanding of the brief or the clients needs. Yes design is taken on face value! But this is a very corporate client and I think elmwood have done really well to get an idea into a WIDE WIDE VISUAL IDENTITY. Comments about it looking like barclaycard are just absurd, OPEN YOUR EYES!

@Mr Odd fellow have you done better?

@M.W. Totally agree!
JBH
2010-04-04 23:58:55

Really strong - Love the ampersand, the colour palette and the illustration/animation style - Clean, corporate and very considered.

(Mr Odd Fellow, please show yourself!)
kevin blackburn
2010-04-14 00:02:58

Theres good and bad parts, I questions how it works down small ,and in certain formats… it is well executed though, very clean and good for big corporate,

Its nice to see it work throughout the identity system, with those illustrations…

However i do think an update instead of this complete overhaul could of been much stronger, then again maybe they're trying to totally re-position themselves… we all didn't see the brief.

@Creative_Order
Todd Lopez
2010-04-15 05:00:19

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